Most desk type pen holders are free standing and have a vertical or slightly inclined opening into which the point of the pen is inserted to hold the pen. Most of the openings are simple holes that permit air to enter and dry the ink on the point of the pin.
Pen holders have been made that are secured to a vertical surface, with the body of the pen being wedged shaped and held in a wedged shape opening on the holder. This type of mounting permits air to dry the tip of the pin.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,629, a pin holder is described with the additional feature that the holder is for a felt tip pen and the pin is inserted though an opening that has a doughnut shaped insert at the mouth of the opening to seal against the pen at the mouth of the opening, and to seal the inside of the holder while not permitting direct contact with air outside of the holder. Since the seal is at the mouth of the opening, the entire volume of the holder does retain air that tends to dry the felt tip of the pen.